The current occupant of Number 10 has been cast as ineffective by a rival at the Foreign Office who is trying to prove he has a killer instinct and what it takes to be number one.

However, this is not a tale of a power struggle between Theresa May and Boris Johnson but a feline proxy war which has allowed the Foreign Secretary to get one over on the Prime Minister.

Mr Johnson looks certain to have secured Whitehall bragging rights after it was revealed Palmerston, the FCO’s resident mouser, has caught at least 27 mice since his arrival in Westminster in April 2016.

Larry, the Number 10 cat, played with a mouse before allowing it to escape in March of this yearCredit:
Steve Back

Documents released under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws show Palmerston, named after former foreign secretary and two-time prime minister Viscount Palmerston, caught almost 30 mice since he came from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

But volunteers who look after the black-and-white cat claim that figure is "likely to be much higher".

The FCO said: "The FCO does not keep an accurate figure for the amount of mice caught by Palmerston.

"The PUS's (Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Simon McDonald) office do receive reported sightings of Palmerston catching mice - so far (since Palmerston's arrival in April 2016) this figure is at 27.

"This figure is likely to be much higher as these are only reported sightings."

The FOI request also reveals that Palmerston is "usually" fed Whiskas, although much of his food is donated meaning he enjoys a variety of brands.